Howdy! My names Brian, and I want to be the best electrician I can be! Nobody is perfect, and today I had to eat a piece of humble pie from my companies owner. The filling of todays humble pie I had, is in regards to staying on task. This is the second time the same supervisor has said that I nead to become better at staying on task. I use the writing things down technique, so as forgetfullness is not a part of this issue... But beyond that, I don't have any more information to help myself become a better employee. I would appreciate ANY and ALL ideas from everyone on this net. The second part of this, being some crust on the humble pie, is a lil gossip I suppose I have been grumbling about. That I know I can take care of. The basis of grumbling is that our company is under new ownership and some employees are super slacking... and getting away with it, and I don't see a long term future for this company besides lingering... though I really enjoy working with the ownership, management and the NON slackers within this company. I hope the best for them and me. Also, there is the fact that they kept me working all winter, and that I CAN NOT ignore. So I nead to address these concerns so as I can better myself and hopefully continue working my way to the top. I see these things as a piece of humble pie, and not a humble pie in the face. So! With these things in mind, any and all advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks Brian, Sparkeee24

Don't pre-occupy yourself with the slackers they always weed themselves out in one way or another.
Know that you don't know it all, if you did this site would not get as much action as it does.

[This message has been edited by mkoloj (edited 04-12-2005).]

Working with slackers, can make your job more difficult at times, just keep yourself on track, and do the best you can.

Sparkee24,
As mentioned above, slackers are a way of life, they are everywhere.

Loyalty is one of the most important properties of an employee and an employer.
I'd take a loyal person over a better qualified person any day of the week. Keep that in mind.

However, this is the kicker. You have to be true to yourself, and go with gut instincts sometimes. If you think the boat is sinking, don't wait for someone to tell you when it is under water.

Grumbling, keep it to yourself, under your breath if you can. No-one likes a complainer. Everyone can complain, the best guys are the ones who offer solutions, not problems.

Eating pie, everyone does it. It is part of the learning curve. If you make a mistake, learn from it and move on. It is going to happen, just don't make it again.

In all, if you posted these questions, you are not a bad guy. It seems you want to help yourself. That in itself is commendable. Most guys spend their whole life complaining and get nowhere. At least you are trying to help make yourself better at what you do.

I'd hire you.


Dnk....

My boss often tells me what I told him the day before and swearers I said what he said the day before. I smile and wink at his wife or daughter who run the office and every one is happy. As long as the jobs get done right and I get payed I am a happy guy. It does not pay to piss off the owner over who said what. ( took me 20 yrs to learn ) Rod (I have quit better jobs than this for less when I was younger)

Sparkeee, when you say staying on task, do you have an example of what's happening? Are you geting distracted by other workers? Is it nonsense conversation and silliness? Or is it things are bothering you and that is where your mind is?

Howdy! Brian again. I really appreciate all the responses! I don't beleive the staying on task issue has anything to do with nonsense conversations and silliness. Probably more to do with things on my mind. I do know that I have a tendancy to instruct the green guys, and that, I know I can work on since I am not their ASSIGNED J-man. Also, when a more senior employee asks me to do tasks, I nead to be more assertive in doing my original assigned task, so as not to be too spread out over many things. I asked my supervisor to let me know anytime he thinks I'm not on task. It's interesting that this is being brought up at a seperate time from when it occurs. Anyway, yesterday was yesterday, and tommorrow will be tommorrow! Let tommorrow worry about itself I've thought on it enough for the time being. Thanks folks! On a side note, I received 2 100%'s an 80% and an 89% on the last 4 quizes in my trade class, and every semester I have had an A on the final and overall in teh class. Maybee I'll post my paper on Branch Circuits someday Brian

sparkeee24 listen up.... no such thing as loyalty when it comes down to it the owner or boss will get rid of you bottom line always prevails. Be loyal to yourself thats all, take my word for it you are expendable.

Kenny, too bad you feel that way, but it is not true.

Loyal people will always find ways to help each other out.

And if you truely feel that way, you have a long hard road ahead of you.

Dnk...

Dnk Your Quote However, this is the kicker. You have to be true to yourself, and go with gut instincts sometimes. If you think the boat is sinking, don't wait for someone to tell you when it is under water. Loyalty is in the family and friends you have. Business on the other hand is about bottom line, that's how the United States economy works. Your opinion and the truth are two different things. Yes I've had a long road it's called 25 years in the trade. Sparkeee24 FIND A NEW EMPLOYER and look out for yourself . Business is business, Just my opinion 25 years worth.

Still stand by Quotes.

I have been there for employers through thick and thin. I went down rough roads many a time. But I believed in them, and I believed in myself. I din't jump ship when the going went rough. Some of my previous employers wish I never left.

My gut instintcs always tell me that the grass is not so green on the other side. But you'll never know if you don't try once or twice.

I was always loyal to everyone, unless they tried screwing me first, then it was war.

I try not to trust people unless they prove themselves first, came with age I guess. As we get old, we form our ways.

To the younger guys though, be loyal to yourself first, but never forget where you get your bread money.
Loyalty goes both ways.
Employers can't eat without great employees, we know that.

If you start out not caring about your job and see yourself as just a number to your employer, that's all your going to be, is a number.

If that is what you want out of life, by all means, be a number.

Dnk......

Sparkeee24 The reality is that you are a number, the sooner you understand this the better you will be at educating yourself and getting multi work experiences that will make you valuble to your employer and if you start your own business someday. These are the realities today. Gone are the days of 30 years with an employer and a gold watch. Look out for the person who's trying to give you a snow job just so that they can benefit themselves. Look out for the person who has their head in the sand. Safety tip Don't lose your head for a minute you need your head your brains are in it. LOL

Sparkee, I see a lot of brown-nosers in my beloved trade and I think this is a disgrace. So many guys out there are good at sucking the bosses a** and not worth a nickel at their job. This has many times led to my "humble pie". I don't kiss nobody's butt. However, I am very kind, respectful, and courteous. There's a fine line there. I will tell anyone exactly what I think but I'll do it in a respectful manner. When you're good at what you do, you don't have to butter no beans. They'll butter your bean. If I can run 300' of 3/4" emt, in the walls & ceiling (not a rack)in an 8-hour day and have only short nipples for waste, and I'm consistently on time every day, what difference does it make if I answered my cell phone 3 times or I was over there shooting the bull with the duct man? If you're good at what you do,you should be valued more. Seems so, but too many contractors are allowing these suck butt's to exist because they are informants and snitches. Ironically, these are the guys that are costing the most man-hours and most people don't even realize it. EXAMPLE- This guy I worked with some time ago- call him John. He's 1 of the 2 lead men, he picked up a 1/4" beam clamp and it had a regular 1/4"-20 bolt just stuck down in the top hole where that square-headed bolt goes, you and I know it don't fit in that hole, the bolt that does fit has a little square head on it and it's threads are larger than a reg. 1/4"-20. He said, "Somebody took that beam clamp and drilled and tapped it out to 5/16"!!" Lead man here. He always liked to talk to everyone like they were his children. This guy is everywhere. He doesn't know his job very well but he knows how to butter the bosses bean. Sickening. Contractors- You're guilty of letting this happen. Take a new evaluation of your men, starting with the ones that are coming by the office 30 times a day telling you who is doing what and all that stuff. THOSE are the guys costing you money. As for the men in the field who don't like to be bothered with these guys, next time they come around, ask them how to find the amount of inductive VAR'S to correct a low power factor? or how to find the neutral current in a wye? or what's the formula for finding capacitive reactance? or how do you find the demand for 20 8kw ranges? Draw them out a combination circuit and ask them to tell you the total I in that circuit. Usually they'll leave you alone after that. If you don't know, you better start finding out.

Howdy! added comment here. I'm in trade school for a reason. It's a 4 year program, and it's awesome. I'm learning tons. My worst area is dealing with personel, unfortuneately. I am learning lots, as I have said, and my mechanical abilities and trade skills are not in question. It is my relations with coworkers and people skills I nead the most work with. I know this might sound dumb, but does anyone know about a good book that may give some insight into people skills in the workplace? Especially the trades, and most importantly our trade. I have a moderate college education, am not in a "trade family" and am an only child...so it seems I am a few years behind my coworkers in human relations, but am far ahead in skills and well rounded ness as far as "my overall work" is concerned. The team effort is what I am looking at learning more about. Thanks for all your added input folks! I like to hear everyones opinions, positive negative or neutral, it still gives me a good idea of the differing opinions within our trade. Thanks! Brian Sparkeee24